Children’s Counseling

A safe place for processing big feelings.

Children do not always have the words to explain what they are feeling or what they have been through. Big emotions, loss, trauma, stressful changes, or relationship struggles can be hard for a child to understand - and just as hard for a parent to know how to help.

Specialized children's counseling gives kids a safe place to express how they feel, process their experiences, and build healthy ways to cope. Children often communicate differently than adults, so therapy may involve toys, art, storytelling, games, and other forms of creative expression to meet them at their individual developmental level. For children who have experienced trauma, EMDR can be integrated when appropriate.

Centered For Life encourages parents to make space for their own counseling, too. Parenting can bring up parts of your own story that deserve care. You can even schedule your own counseling appointment at the same time as their child's appointment, making it easier to support both of you without adding another trip to your busy week.

  • Are big feelings hard to put into words?

    Age-appropriate therapy gives children ways to communicate emotions they may not know how to explain yet.

  • Has your child been through trauma or big change?

    Counseling can give children an outlet to process difficult experiences, reduce distress, and restore their sense of calm and safety.

  • Is your child learning to handle friendships, school or teamwork?

    Therapy helps children and teens navigate the daily stressors of childhood through emotional regulation, coping, and empathy.

  • Feel stuck as a parent and unsure where to turn?

    Both parents and children need help sometimes. We’re committed to supporting the whole family in every season of life.

Child-focused care for every family, in any season.

  • Self-paced Play Therapy

    Your child leads the play while the counselor provides a safe, supportive presence. This creates room for expression, self-discovery, and emotional healing at the child's own pace.

  • Guided Play Therapy

    The counselor may guide activities, games, role-play, or other structured exercises to help your child practice coping strategies, build skills, and work on specific challenges.

  • EMDR for Children

    For children who have experienced trauma, grief, or overwhelming events, EMDR may be integrated into therapy to reduce distress, support a greater sense of safety, and strengthen resilience.

  • Counseling for Parents

    Centered For Life strongly recommends that parents have space for their own counseling work - around parenting and the other parts of their story and life. Parent and child appointments can be scheduled at the same time for greater ease and consistency.

You might be wondering…

  • Your child may benefit from counseling if they are having a hard time expressing emotions, coping with a life change, working through a stressful experience, or understanding their feelings. Counseling can give children (ages 3 and older) a safe way to process what they are experiencing, build healthy coping skills, and grow in confidence and resilience.

    Counseling is shaped around your child's age, needs, and developmental level. Rather than relying only on conversation, a counselor may use play, art, storytelling, games, role-play, or other age-appropriate activities to help your child express emotions, process experiences, and build coping skills.

  • Play therapy uses toys, art, storytelling, and creative expression to help children communicate in ways that fit their development. It can give children a safe place to express big emotions, work through difficult experiences, practice problem-solving, and build confidence and resilience.

  • No. Play gives children another language for expressing and processing what they may not be able to explain in words. Some sessions may let your child lead the play, while others may include more guided activities based on what your child needs. Sessions are always guided by each child’s developmental level and their readiness to explore their emotions or experiences.

  • While we never want our children to experience difficult circumstances, counseling and play therapy can meet them where they are to process loss, trauma, stressful experiences, and big changes. When appropriate, EMDR may also be integrated into therapy to help reduce distress, support a greater sense of safety, and strengthen resilience.

  • We bring our whole story into our role of parenting. Your child's counseling gives them a space for their work, and your own counseling gives you a space for yours.

    At Centered For Life, we strongly recommend that parents process both the realities of parenting and the other relationships and experiences that shape life at home. Supporting the parent and child at the same time can strengthen the care surrounding the whole family.

  • Yes. Centered For Life can help you coordinate parent and child counseling appointments at the same time, making it easier to care for both of you with one trip and one block of time.